Beer-flavored fermented beverage and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a beer-flavored fermented beverage with reduced stinging sourness.SOLUTION: A beer-flavored fermented beverage comprises phenethyl alcohol at a concentration of 35 mg / L or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-flavored fermented beverage and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] With the recent rise in health consciousness, there is a demand for beer-flavored beverages with reduced sugar content. However, beer and beer-like beverages with reduced sugar content often have a weaker taste and aroma, which can lead to a strong husky flavor and sharp sourness derived from malt.

[0003] Conventional methods for increasing flavor intensity include increasing the bitterness value (BU) or adding aroma compounds from hops, but increasing the BU disrupts the overall balance of flavor, while adding aroma compounds from hops results in a monotonous impression. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present inventors have found that the sharp sourness of a beer-flavored fermented beverage can be reduced by adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol within a predetermined range. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented beverage with a reduced stinging sourness and a method for producing the same.

[0006] The present invention includes the following inventions. (1) A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a phenethyl alcohol concentration of 35 mg / L or more. (2) The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to (1), wherein the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is 35 to 80 mg / L. (3) The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to (1), wherein the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is 50 to 70 mg / L. (4) The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the sugar concentration in the beverage is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. (5) The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the malt content is 50 to 100% by mass. (6) The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of (1) to (5), having an alcohol concentration of more than 2% by volume. (7) A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage, in which the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is adjusted to 35 mg / L or more. (8) The method according to (7) above, wherein the carbohydrate concentration in the beverage is adjusted to 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. (9) The method according to (7) or (8), wherein the malt usage ratio is 50 to 100% by mass. (10) The method according to any one of (7) to (9) above, wherein the alcohol concentration in the beverage is adjusted to more than 2% by volume. (11) A method for reducing the sourness of a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to 35 mg / L or more. (12) A method for reducing the husky flavor in a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to 35 mg / L or more.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the sharp sourness of a beer-flavored fermented beverage. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is also possible to reduce the husky taste derived from malt in a beer-flavored fermented beverage.

[0008] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention has a phenethyl alcohol concentration within a predetermined range. Such a beer-flavored fermented beverage can be obtained by adjusting the phenethyl alcohol concentration during its production. Specific means for adjusting the phenethyl alcohol concentration are not particularly limited, and examples include adding phenethyl alcohol, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials containing phenethyl alcohol used, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw materials that produce phenethyl alcohol in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of a substance that is converted to phenethyl alcohol by fermentation with yeast.

[0009] In the present invention, the term "beer-flavored fermented beverage" refers to beer (a beverage obtained by fermenting malt and hops as ingredients with brewer's yeast) or a fermented beverage having a flavor similar to beer. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage in which the alcohol (ethanol) concentration has been adjusted after fermentation. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented beverage to which hops are used as an ingredient to impart a hop aroma. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage, i.e., a beverage using at least malt as an ingredient. Examples of such fermented malt beverages include beer, happoshu, and liqueur (e.g., beverages classified as "liqueur (sparkling) (1)" under the Liquor Tax Act), with beer being preferred. The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably a fermented malt beverage with a malt content of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less.

[0010] In the present invention, "sourness" refers to the sharp sourness felt when drinking a beer-based beverage. Such sourness tends to become increasingly pronounced as the sugar content of the beer-based beverage decreases. Furthermore, in the present invention, "huskiness" refers to a grain-like aroma or taste accompanied by astringency, unpleasant flavors, a rough or powdery aftertaste.

[0011] In the present invention, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L", and the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0012] The phenethyl alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 35 mg / L or more, preferably 40 mg / L or more, more preferably 45 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 50 mg / L or more. The upper limit of the phenethyl alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is, for example, 90 mg / L, preferably 85 mg / L, more preferably 80 mg / L, even more preferably 75 mg / L, and even more preferably 70 mg / L. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the phenethyl alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 35 to 90 mg / L, preferably 35 to 85 mg / L, more preferably 35 to 80 mg / L, even more preferably 40 to 80 mg / L, even more preferably 40 to 75 mg / L, even more preferably 45 to 75 mg / L, even more preferably 45 to 70 mg / L, and even more preferably 50 to 70 mg / L. Phenethyl alcohol may be derived from the raw material, added separately from the plant raw material, or produced by fermentation. The concentration of phenethyl alcohol can be controlled, for example, by controlling the composition of the raw material and the fermentation conditions.

[0013] The quantification of phenethyl alcohol in beer-flavored fermented beverages can be performed by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. This GC analysis can be performed, for example, as follows: First, the aroma components in the beverage are extracted using a hydroxylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and then the extracted components are subjected to GC / FID analysis. The components can be quantified using an internal standard method, with trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate used as internal standards. Furthermore, for more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations. The GC analysis conditions can be as follows:

[0014] [Table 1]

[0015] The alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be 1% by volume (v / v%) or more, or may be less than 1% by volume (v / v%), i.e., a so-called non-alcoholic or low-alcoholic beverage. Preferably, the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention has an alcohol concentration of 1% by volume (v / v%) or more, more preferably greater than 1% by volume (v / v%), even more preferably greater than 2% by volume (v / v%), even more preferably greater than 2% by volume, even more preferably greater than 3% by volume, even more preferably greater than 3% by volume (v / v%), even more preferably greater than 3.5% by volume, and even more preferably greater than 4% by volume. The upper limit of the alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented beverage is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but is, for example, 20% by volume, preferably 10% by volume, and more preferably 7% by volume. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the alcohol concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably greater than 2% by volume and less than 10% by volume, more preferably 3 to 10% by volume, even more preferably 3 to 7% by volume, and even more preferably 3 to 5% by volume. The alcohol concentration in a beer-flavored fermented beverage can be measured by a known method, specifically, based on the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcolyzer Method" established by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention has a lower carbohydrate content than usual. This "lower than usual" means that the beer-flavored fermented beverage has been produced with measures to reduce the carbohydrate content. The specific carbohydrate concentration of such a low-carbohydrate beer-flavored fermented beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, preferably less than 1.5 g / 100 mL, more preferably 1.1 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 1.0 g / 100 mL or less, even more preferably less than 1.0 g / 100 mL, even more preferably 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. In one embodiment, the carbohydrate concentration in the low-carbohydrate beer-flavored fermented beverage is 0.4 g / mL or less.

[0017] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amount of water, protein, fat, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample (see the Food Labeling Standards (March 30, 2015, Food Labeling Table No. 139), Appendix, Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc.).

[0018] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted appropriately according to preference, for example, within the range of 0.05 to 0.4 MPa (gas pressure at 20°C).

[0019] The pH of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be adjusted to, for example, 2.0 to 5.0, preferably 2.3 to 4.8, and more preferably 2.9 to 4.8. The pH of the beverage can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., HORIBA Scientific benchtop pH meter, manufactured by HORIBA Advanced Techno Co., Ltd.).

[0020] The beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably provided as a packaged beverage. The container used for the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention may be any container commonly used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, a keg, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle, a cup), a paper container, a bottle, or a pouch, with a metal can, a keg, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle), or a bottle being preferred.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage, except for adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage. Conventional production methods include, for example, a method of fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least water and malt, i.e., a method of adding fermenting beer yeast to wort (pre-fermentation liquid) prepared from brewing raw materials such as malt, fermenting the wort, and optionally storing the fermented liquid at low temperature, followed by removing the yeast by a filtration step.

[0022] Hops (including processed hop products) can be added at any step in the process of producing the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention. The amount of hops added can typically be adjusted to 0.1 to 5 g / L, preferably 0.1 to 2 g / L, and more preferably 0.2 to 1.5 g / L, relative to the volume of the pre-fermentation solution in the fermentation step.

[0023] In the present invention, in addition to malt, hops, and water, other brewing ingredients can be used, such as rice, corn, koryang (sorghum), potato, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruit, and coriander, which are designated by the Liquor Tax Act, as well as other additives such as protein hydrolysates, nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, colorants, foaming and foam retention improvers, water quality conditioners, and fermentation aids. Ungerminated barley (e.g., ungerminated barley (including extracts) and ungerminated wheat (including extracts)) can also be used as brewing ingredients.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing the sourness sensation in a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to within the above-mentioned numerical range.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing the husky flavor in a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to within the above-mentioned numerical range. [Example]

[0026] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0027] Example 1: Relationship between phenethyl alcohol concentration and flavor in beer-flavored fermented beverages In this example, a tasting sample was prepared by adjusting the phenethyl alcohol concentration based on the test-brewed beer, and a sensory evaluation was conducted to examine the relationship between the phenethyl alcohol concentration and flavor in a beer-flavored fermented beverage.

[0028] (1) Preparation of tasting samples Tasting samples of the beer-flavored fermented beverage were prepared according to the following procedure.

[0029] In the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of this example, barley malt was used as the main raw material (malt usage ratio: 60%). An enzyme preparation mainly containing glucoamylase was used for saccharification, and the saccharification temperature and time were adjusted, followed by filtration to obtain wort. Hops and liquid sugar mainly containing assimilable sugars were added to the obtained wort, and the mixture was boiled at 100°C. The wort was then allowed to stand to separate the coagulated protein (trube), and then cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation liquid. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the obtained pre-fermentation liquid, and main fermentation and post-fermentation were carried out to obtain a fermented liquid. The obtained fermented liquid was stored at low temperature to stop fermentation, and then filtered to obtain a clear beer-flavored fermented beverage.

[0030] The resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage was diluted, and the missing carbohydrate (sucrose) and alcohol for alcoholic beverages (Daiichi Alcohol, 95% alcohol concentration) were added to prepare base beverages with carbohydrates of 0.4 g / 100 mL and alcohol (ethanol) concentrations of 3 and 5% (v / v). Phenethyl alcohol was added to this base beverage so that the phenethyl alcohol concentration was as shown in the table below, to prepare tasting samples. The alcohol (ethanol) concentration, carbohydrate concentration, and phenethyl alcohol concentration in each beverage in the examples were measured according to the following methods.

[0031] The alcohol concentration in each beverage in the examples was measured in accordance with the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcolyzer Method" established by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

[0032] The carbohydrate concentration in each beverage in the examples was measured by subtracting the mass of water, protein, fat, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the beverage being measured, based on the "Food Labeling Standards (March 30, 2015, Food Labeling Table No. 139) Annex: Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc." established by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.

[0033] The concentration of phenethyl alcohol in each beverage in the examples was measured by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage were extracted using a hydroxylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and the resulting extract was subjected to GC / FID. Trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate were used as internal standards. The GC analysis conditions were as shown in Table 2 below.

[0034] [Table 2]

[0035] (2) Sensory evaluation of tasting samples The tasting samples obtained in (1) above were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of six trained members. The evaluation items for the sensory evaluation were "husky flavor" and "acidity." The specific evaluation criteria for each are shown below. a. Husky feeling: Evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 (weak feeling) to 3 (moderate feeling) to 5 (strong feeling). b. Acidity: Evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 (weakly perceived) to 3 (moderately perceived) to 5 (strongly perceived).

[0036] The phenethyl alcohol concentration, alcohol (ethanol) concentration, and sensory evaluation results for the samples are summarized in Table 3 below. The scores for the sensory evaluation results are shown as the average and standard deviation.

[0037] [Table 3]

[0038] In the sensory evaluation, the score of test group 3 (ethanol concentration 5 v / v%, phenethyl alcohol concentration 30 mg / L) was fixed at 4.0.

[0039] From the results shown in Table 3, it is clear that regardless of whether the ethanol concentration is 3 v / v% or 5 v / v%, when the phenethyl alcohol concentration is 35 mg / L or higher, the sourness sensation is significantly reduced, and when the phenethyl alcohol concentration is 35 to 80 mg / L, particularly 50 to 70 mg / L, the sourness sensation reduction effect is even more remarkable. Furthermore, a similar tendency was observed in the effect of reducing the husky sensation.

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a phenethyl alcohol concentration of 35 mg / L or more.

2. 2. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is 35 to 80 mg / L.

3. 2. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is 50 to 70 mg / L.

4. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the concentration of carbohydrates in the beverage is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less.

5. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50 to 100 mass%.

6. The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an alcohol concentration of more than 2% by volume.

7. A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage, wherein the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is adjusted to 35 mg / L or more.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the concentration of carbohydrates in the beverage is adjusted to 0.5 g / 100 mL or less.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50 to 100% by mass.

10. 9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the alcohol concentration in the beverage is adjusted to more than 2% by volume.

11. A method for reducing the sourness of a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to 35 mg / L or more.

12. A method for reducing the husky flavor in a beer-flavored fermented beverage, the method comprising adjusting the concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage to 35 mg / L or more.

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